March 2011

March 30, 2011

Dallas _ Dez Bryant’s advisor David Wells said the Cowboys rookie receiver has a plan to handle his debts and will be a better person in the near future.

But he acknowledged right now Bryant is in “a dark place.”

Bryant faces three lawsuits. He is being sued for more than $850,0000 for unpaid loans and jewelry and tickets to sporting events purchased on credit

"I talked to him yesterday, and he wants to get past this," Wells told Deion Sanders on ESPN 103.3's Ben & Skin Show. "He wants to get all these deals past him and closure. He's in a dark place in his life. Until you find the light, you're going to continue to be in a dark place."

In a follow up interview with the Star-Telegram, Wells said Bryant had been in Louisiana working out but was supposed to be headed back to Dallas on Wednesday to take care of some business.

Wells said Bryant is young and he will grow from these experiences.

“We talked (Tuesday),” Wells said. “He is good. He has a good game play. You will see a different person in the near future.”

Wells however admits that he and Bryant are frustrated with all the suits and allegations, especially the one from Colleyville businessman Eloew Hunt, who claims Bryant and Wells owe him $600,000 for breach of contract for money, jewelry and tickets to sporting events dating back to January 2009.

Wells disputes the dates of all the transactions, which appear to be NCAA violations because Bryant was in school at Oklahoma State. He said Bryant was suspended when “he got that stuff.”

“I’m frustrated and disappointed with what Eloew did and how he handled the situation,” Wells said. “I’m very disappointed.”

Wells’ disappointment stems from the fact that he and Hunt have a history of doing business together, including dealings with 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree and Bengals cornerback Pacman Jones. Wells estimates that he has referred more than $1 million in business to Hunt.

“I have referred the guy $1 million in business or more and I haven’t gotten a dime from that,” Wells said. “Crabtree paid his $580,000 right off the top. I really hate the way Eloew did it.”

Wells said however he will not be deterred in his support of Bryant and will continue to stand by him.

“He is a good kid,” Wells said. ‘I’m going to be with him no matter what.”

Bryant, a first-round draft pick last April, made $2.8 million in base salary and bonuses. He is due a base salary of $1.1 million this season as well as a $1 million roster bonus he will receive after a new collective bargaining agreement is reached.

Wells said, “The greatest thing in the end is if Dez comes out and does what he has to do in the community, as a father, with the Cowboys organization, then I think he’ll be OK."

Dez Bryant's adviser, David Wells, said Wednesday that the Cowboys receiver is "in a dark place."

"I talked to him yesterday, and he wants to get past this," Wells told Deion Sanders on ESPN 103.3's Ben & Skin Show. "He wants to get all these deals past him and closure. He's in a dark place in his life. Until you find the light, you're going to continue to be in a dark place."

Bryant faces three lawsuits. He is being sued for more than $850,0000 for unpaid loans and jewelry and tickets to sporting events purchased on credit.

Bryant, a first-round draft pick last April, made $2.8 million in base salary and bonuses. He is due a base salary of $1.1 million this season as well as a $1 million roster bonus he will receive after a new collective bargaining agreement is reached.

"He's got a plan that he talked to me about yesterday, that he wants to move forward with," Wells said on the radio. "The greatest thing in the end is if Dez comes out and does what he has to do in the community, as a father, with the Cowboys organization, then I think he’ll be OK."

A two-year starter, Tyron Smith was a highly-recruited top-5 OL recruit out of HS and earned scholarship offers from several major programs, choosing USC over Florida, Notre Dame and UCLA. He served as the back-up LT in 2008 as a true freshman (10 games played/0 starts). With Charles Brown at LT, Smith moved to the right side in 2009 and earned a starting role as a sophomore (12 gp/12 st), starting all but one game at RT. With top recruit Matt Kalil taking over at LT, Smith stayed at RT in 2010 as a junior (12 gp/12 st) and was the only offensive Trojan to earn First Team All-Pac 10 honors. He skipped his senior season and decided to go pro.

STRENGTHS:Smith looks the part with ideal measureables and frame for the position – extremely long arms (36½”). He is a coordinated athlete with elite fluidity, flexibility and range, doing a nice job covering a lot of ground with quick feet. Smith has impressive lateral quickness to ride rushers, sinking his hips, bending at the knees and sealing the edge. He has good mobility to get to the second level and is balanced blocking in space. Smith has done a nice job adding weight and muscle since enrolling in 2008 and shows good natural strength with a strong initial punch on contact. He is a good run blocker, sustaining and finishing blocks through the whistle. Smith offers versatility with two years starting experience at RT, but the skill-set to move over and play on the left side – offers a great deal of upside.

WEAKNESSES:Smith needs to continue to fill out his frame and add bulk to his body. He has yet to develop a stout anchor to hold his ground vs. bull rushers and isn’t overpowering to be a mauler in the run game. Smith tends to overextend and can be caught lunging, needing to show better discipline in his stance. He needs to improve his awareness and instincts in order to recognize and handle stunts and extra rushers – something that will come with more experience. Smith lacks a killer instinct and needs to be more physical in the run game. He is still young and unpolished with much developing left to do – most of his playing experience at USC came at RT with little time at LT. Smith does have some durability concerns after a minor knee issue that kept him from working out at the NFL Combine. He also needs to impress in his personal interviews because he is so young and was suspended for the bowl game in 2009 because of academic issues.

OVERALL:Smith is an extremely impressive physical specimen with elite measureables, athleticism and fluidity for the position – entered college under 260-pounds and was listed at 280-pounds entering the 2010 season so he has done a nice job getting stronger, but still has room to add bulk. He manned the RT spot the past two years at USC and doesn’t have great experience at LT, but he projects best on the left side in the NFL because of his rare foot quickness, balance and ideal skill-set to mirror rushers and block in space. Smith is a younger prospect who will be just 20-years old when the 2011 NFL season begins and still has a lot of developing and growing yet to do, but is the most athletic lineman in this draft and has a very high ceiling and Pro Bowl potential, deserving top-10 consideration.

March 29, 2011

Off-the field problems continue to mount for Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant, who is the subject of two lawsuits approaching $900,000, including one of which could return NCAA scrutiny to Oklahoma State.

His attorney, Texas state senator Royce West said they will respond to the suits the appropriate way.

But he wonders aloud why the 2010 first round pick has being singled out since he joined the Cowboys.

"Why is there so much excitement? Is it like this with all celebrities?," West asked rhetorically. "He has been scrutinized from the beginning. We have a couple of lawsuits. We are going to respond to the lawsuits."

Eleow Hunt of Colleyville is suing Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant and his adviser David Wells for $600,000 for breach of contract for money, jewelry and tickets to sporting events dating back to January 2009.

He was still a member of the Oklahoma State football team at the time, which could raise a red flag with the NCAA and the school about his eligibility.

Bryant played three games in 2009 before being ruled ineligible by the NCAA for lying about having dinner with former Cowboys cornerback Deion Sanders.

This is in addition to a suit filed Monday by a New York-based company alleging he owes it for $246,000 worth of jewelry.

According to the Hunt suit, which was filed on September 13, 2010 and amended recently, Hunt sold Bryant numerous pieces of jewelry between Jan. 31, 2009 and July 11, 2011. Among the items were a “custom Cartier diamond watch,” a “white gold diamond dog tag set,” a “custom diamond engagement ring,” a “custom diamond Jesus medallion” and a “custom diamond Gucci bracelet.”

Bryant also purchased tickets to sporting events, including 10 tickets worth $5,750 for the Cowboys’ 2009 regular-season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles and six tickets worth $3,750 for the Cowboys’ playoff victory over the Eagles one week later. According to the suit, he also received four tickets for an NBA game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Cleveland Cavaliers in December 2009, totaling $2,500.

Hunt said he loaned Wells $25,000 on Dec. 3, 2009. The loan was to be repaid no later than March 31, 2010. Wells has repaid $15,000 of the loan, but hasn’t repaid the remaining amount, the suit says. The suit also states that Wells contacted Hunt and asked him to loan Bryant $1,000 to be repaid on or before July 31, 2010. That loan also has not been repaid, Hunt says.

In general, payment for the jewelry was due on or before July 2010 or when Bryant signed his first marketing or sports contract. The suit breakdown includes $588,500 in jewelry; $15,850 for NBA and NFL tickets; and $11,000 in loans, minus the $15,000 repaid on the original loan.

News of the suits against Bryant comes one week after he was in the headlines because of an incident at North Park Center mall in Dallas when he and his friends were accused of wearing sagging pants by an off-duty policeman. Bryant was subsequently given a criminal trespass citation and banned from the mall for 90 days before the ruling was reversed by North Park Center officials last Friday.

West said the incident was an example of a policeman over stepping his bounds and Bryant being singled out.

“The officer in North Park had no legal grounds to approach Dez and his friends,” West said. “Why is no one raising the issue of how the officer handled the situation?.”

Dane Brugler, one of the top independent draft analysts in the country, has done his latest four-round mock draft. He has the Cowboys taking USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith with the ninth overall pick. Brugler is high on Smith, calling him a top-10 pick who likely will start his career at right tackle before sliding to the left side. The Cowboys, of course, are looking to replace right tackle Marc Colombo. Doug Free was solid in his first season as a starter at left tackle.

Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara and Smith seem to be the likeliest choice for the Cowboys if they stay at No. 9. (Ignore anything you've readabout Amukamara being off their draft board.)

Brugler has the Cowboys selecting UCLA safety Rahim Moore in the second round, Penn State center Stefen Wisniewski in the third and Arizona State defensive tackle Lawrence Guy in the fourth.

Williams didn't disappoint. He told his agent he ran 4.36 in the 40 yard dash. It was also reported by former Cowboys scouting directer Gil Brandt that he ran a 4.40.

Either time is great for Williams who had a disappointing effort at the Scouting Combine in February when he ran a 4.52 in the 40, prompting scouts to talk about him moving to safety and his stock to drop from a possible late first-round pick to a second rounder.

Williams' effort on Tuesday should solidify his place in the first round. If the Cowboys were going to get him it will likely either be a trade down from the 9th overall pick or with a trade up from the second round.

Keep in mind that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was also in attendance. Cornerback is a huge need for Pittsburgh and they could be eyeing Williams for the 31st overall pick.

March 27, 2011

Andy Dalton is popular. He was in Los Angeles last week, appearing live on the NFL Network.

The TCU quarterback already has worked out privately for the Browns, Patriots, Bears and Chiefs, and he has visits scheduled for Cincinnati, Minnesota, Tennessee and San Francisco.

“I’m all over the place,” Dalton said in a telephone interview. “It is kind of like recruiting. It’s been a lot of fun, just to get the chance to work out for teams. This is something I’ve always dreamed of doing, and so I’m trying to enjoy the whole process. But I am kind of getting to the point where I’m ready for the draft to get here.”

Dalton, who will watch the draft at his home in Katy with family and friends, has seen his draft stock rise. He could be selected as early as the second round, according to scouts.

“The Rose Bowl game helped,” Dalton said. “I think that kind of got people thinking I can play. That was my goal to come out and get better and better and show teams what I’m able to do and hopefully a lot of them will like me.”

Troy Aikman was one of 14,000 runners who participated in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Dallas Half Marathon on Sunday. He finished in one hour, 48 minutes and 11 seconds. He finished 1,206 overall in his second half marathon.

Aikman, who ran his first half last March in Arlington, was inspired by his personal connection to the event’s charitable tie with Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

“It was a perfect day for running,” Aikman said in a press release. “My mom is a breast-cancer survivor, so it’s wonderful that Komen does such great work raising a lot of money and bringing awareness to breast cancer. To have the half marathon here and to get so many people to participate, and to the people who came out to support the event along the way, was amazing. There were no real dead spots for 13 miles. Dallas is a great place, and I’m glad it's home for me.”

Carlos Cordero Gomez, an Olympian for Mexico, won in 1:03.58. It was his first road race in the U.S. Gomez finished 32nd in the marathon at the 2008 Beijing Games. Andrew Cook of Flower Mound was second in 1:07.27.